1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of detecting the presence of anomalies in biological tissues and cells in natural or cultured form by infrared spectroscopy.
Detection of malignancy in mammalian tissue is usually accomplished by obtaining tissue samples by microtone sectioning, followed by histological examination of the samples. Such examination,
i) requires highly skilled examination by a pathologist or other skilled personnel, PA0 ii) is not always reliable, and PA0 iii) it is difficult to detect malignancy in tissue in the early stages. PA0 i) has to be carried out by skilled personnel, PA0 ii) is not completely reliable, and PA0 iii) cannot detect malignancy in tissue in the early stages. PA0 i) interpretation of the tests results can be carried out by personal having no medical skills and after a relatively simple course of training, PA0 ii) with proper care, interpretation of the test results in completely reliable, and PA0 iii) malignancy in tissues or cells can be detected in the early stages. PA0 a) directing a beam of infrared light at a sample of the tissues or cells in natural or cultured form, and PA0 b) determining, by spectroscopic analysis, whether variation in infrared absorption occurs in the sample, at at least one range of frequencies, due to the vibration of at least one functional group of molecules present in the sample which is characteristic of that anomaly.
It has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,165, dated May 7, 1985, "Apparatus and Method for Detecting Tumors" R. Carroll, to detect cancerous tumors by scanning a test region in the body with infrared light having a wavelength 700 to 4,000 nanometers and measuring the amount of absorption and scatter in a scanning mode to produce a shadowgraph image using either single wavelength grey scale or preferably multispectral multiple wavelength false color imaging.
While the proposals of Carroll are useful, the interpretation of the shadowgraph image;
There is a need for a method of detecting the presence of anomalies in biological tissues or cells, particularly the malignancy in mammalian tissues or cells, by infrared spectroscopy wherein;
2. Description of Related Art
It has already been proposed in Russian Patent No. 742,776, to measure the rate of occurrence of wilt by taking infrared spectra of samples of dried, three day old, sprouts of cotton plants, in the frequency region of 900-1,500 cm.sup.-1, and compare the spectra with a standard spectrum obtained from resistant seeds sprouted in laboratory conditions free from infection.
While the process described in Russian Patent No. 742,776 is useful, taking a sample at random from a mass of dried sprouts has the disadvantage that the sample may not be truly representative of the rate of occurrence, or for that matter, any occurrence, of disease in the original sprouts. Furthermore, there is a danger that the nature of the tissue containing wilt can be changed by the drying process. Thus the comparison of samples of dried sprouts can lead to misleading results.
There is a need for a process for determining the presence of anomalies in biological tissue in the natural form whereby any misinterpretation which may be due to processing the tissue from its natural form is avoided.